Sharpener for slicing machines



Feb. 20, 1934. w. J. CAMPBELL SHARPENER FOR SLICING MACHINES Filed Sept.1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l WU W 7 x 0m n 2 W n. t 6J4: WW i E [a m w Feb. 20,1934. w. J. CAMPBELL SHARPENER FOR SLICING MACHINES Filed Sept. 16, 19322 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 20, 1934 PATENTI' OFFICE r SHARPENER FORsucmo MACHINES William J. Campbell, Indianapolis, assignor to AmericanSlicing Machine Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of New YorkApplication September 16, 1932 Serial No. 633,522

' 7 Claims." (01. 51-248) My invention relates to an improvement-inslicing machines and has for one purpose the'provision of improvedsharpening means for the knife. Another object is the provision ofimproved bearing means for the knife. Another object is the provision ofimproved means for assembling knife shaft and knife pulley. Otherobjects will appear from time to time in the'course of the specificationand claims. g

The present application isva continuation in part of application No.598,131, filed on March 11, 1932. v

I illustrate my invention more or less diagrammatically in theaccompanying drawingswhere- Figure 1 is a front elevation;

Figure 2 is an end elevation with'parts in section; and

Figure 3 is a partial top plan view with parts broken away.

" Like parts are indicated by like symbols throughout the specificationand drawings.

Referring to the drawings, A generally indicates any suitable base andanti-vibrational pads or supports A which rest upon any suitablesupporting surface A for example a counter or the like.

B indicates a motor housing mounted on the base A. B is the motor shaftand B a pulley on the shaft about which passes'any suitable beltB V Cindicates a housing extension projecting upwardly from the base A.Formed integrally with it is a flared sleeveC terminating rearwardly ina generally cylindricalportion C Within the portion C is a sleeve Cwhich is provided with a screwthreaded aperture C adapted to receive thescrewthreaded end of the oiling duct C which oiling ductis .provided'forexample with a hexagonal head portion C and an inlet cup 0''. Note thatthe sleeve C is apertured as at C to' permit the passage therethrough ofthe screwthreaded portion C The aperture C is of substantially greaterdiameter than the screwthreaded member C thus premitting of adjustmentin the position of the sleeve C The forward face of the upstandinghousing member C is closed as by the guard plate generally indicated asH. The axis of the knife G is' slightly tilted to permit thearcuate edgeH of the guard plate to penetrate the forward hollow G of the knife andto lie substantiallyfiush with the very slightly bowed cutting planedefined by the cutting edge of the knife. The guard plate is shown ascarrying any suitable scraper H the Positioned details of which do notform part of the present invention. The lower edge of the guard plate isnotched as at H H 'to seat upon supporting pins H which may bescrewthreaded for adjustment. The upper edge of the guard, plate isprovided with inwardly extending ears H shown as at right angles to theface of the plate proper, such ears overlying top horizontal portions Hof the frame member C. These ears are slotted as at. H in such fashionthat when the plate is in .the position in which it is shown in Figure'3 they pass about the screwthreaded securing pins H These securing pinsalso serve to hold down the top of a cover plate H which cover plate isapertured as at H for a purpose later to appear. 10

In order to sharpen the knife I provide a knife assembly positionedbeneath the cover H which includes a unitary lever J with an outerhandle J extending outwardly through the aperture H Mounted along thelever, and herein shown as rotatable in relation thereto, are the stoneJ and the metallic burr removing disc J Yielding means are employed, forexample the spring J for keeping the sharpening lever in intermediateposition with the stone and the metallic disc both out of contact withthe knife edge. The operator may move the lever in either direction,against the pull of the spring J The cover plate H as will be clearfromFigure 1, is upwardly offset togive space for the sharpeningassembly. I The lever J is shown as pivotally supported concentricallywith one of the securing members H Such member may be surrounded by anappropriate bearing sleeve J In order to make sure that the spring J isproperly positioned and aligned to hold the two stones or grindingelements J J in neutral position except when actively in use I providean adjustable abutment member J slotted as at J the securing screws Jpassing through such slot. At the factory the proper adjustment can bemade, or in case of displacement of parts the adjustment can readily bemade by the operator or service man when the machine is at the point ofuse.

Positioned to the rear of the cutting plane is any suitable slicereceiving tray, normally fixed in position and indicated as K.

Positioned on the base,'and forwardly of the knife, are the tracks L Lthe outer track L being for example mounted on outwardly extending armsL Movable along said tracks is a carriage member generally indicated asI. which includes track engaging members L U. Mounted on the carriage Lis the work receiving knife.

cutting edge of the knife G member which includes a main portion L andan angular portion L L indicates a pusher plate having a handle U. Lindicates a guiding pin for such pusher plate and L a sleeve for thepusher plate, slidable along said pin.

M generally indicates a gauge plate which may be actuated in anysuitable manner in order to vary the thickness of the slice. The detailsof the gauge plate do not of themselves form part of the presentinvention. I illustrate, however, a control handle M which, by anysuitable lever connection, may move the gauge plate M toward and awayfrom the cutting plane.

It will be realized that whereas I- have described and shown a practicaland operative d'evice, nevertheless many changes may be made in thesize, shape, number and disposition of parts without departing from thespirit of my invention. I therefore wish my description and drawings tobe taken as in a broad sense illustrative and diagrammatic rather thanas limiting me to my specific showing.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows:

The structure herein described and shown forms a light, easily operatedand efficient slicing machine of the manual feed type, in which therotary knife G is rotated at relatively high speed by electric motormeans. The carriage L is manually moved across the face of and past theThe slices, engaged by the gauge plate M, are received. on the slicereceiving member K.

It is extremely important, in a machine of this type, that the knife bekept very sharp. I provide easily operable and simple means foreffecting the sharpening action. The operator first moves the lever Jdownwardly, referring to the position of the parts as shown in Figure 3,to bring the grinder against the edge of the He may then move the samelever upwardly, which withdraws the grinder from the knife and appliesthe metallic burr remover, to clear the burr from the edge of the knife.When the operator releases the handle J the spring J draws the partsinto neutral position with neither grinding nor burr removing member incontact with the edge. Note that a single set of securing screws servesthe triple function of holding the cover plate H in position, ofsecuring the top of the guard plate H, and of serving as a pivot for thelever J. The cover plate serves as an efiicient housing and protectionfor the sharpening mechanism.

I claim:

1. In a slicing machine including a base, a knife mounted on said base,and means for rotating it, a frame portion extending upwardly from saidbase adjacent said knife, and sharpening means for the knife including amanual control lever pivoted adjacent the knife, sharpening membersdirectly mounted on said lever and supported thereupon and positioned'onopposite sides of the cutting edge of the knife, and yielding meanstending normally to hold said lever in intermediate position, with oneof said sharpening members positioned opposite to each side of thecutting edge of the knife but out of contact with the knife.

2. In a slicing machine including a base, a knife mounted on said base,and means for rotating it, a frame portion extending upwardly from saidbase adjacent said knife, and sharpening means for the knife including amanual control lever pivoted adjacent the knife, sharpening membersmounted on said lever and positioned on opposite sides of the cuttingedge of the knife, and yielding means tending normally to hold saidlever in intermediate position, with one of said sharpening memberspositioned opposite to each side of the cutting edge of the knife, butout of contact with the knife, and a cover plate for said knife, saidcover plate overlying the sharpening means and being apertured to permitthe escape therethrough of one end of the lever, and means for securingthe cover plate to the frame portion including a plurality of screws,one of said screws coinciding with the axis of rotation of the lever.

B: In combination, a rotary knife, a base on which said knifei's'mounted, means for rotating said knife, a manual control sharpeninglever movably supported upon said base, a plurality of sharpeningelements directly positioned on said lever, and supported thereupon oneopposed to each side of the cutting edge of the knife, means fornormallymaintaining said lever in neutral position with each of saidsharpening elements out. of ontact with the opposed knife edge, andmanually operable means for moving said lever in either direction fromsaid neutral position.

4. In combination, a rotary knife, a base on which said knife ismounted, means for rotating said knife, a manual control sharpeninglever movably supported upon said base, a. plurality of sharpeningelements directly positioned on. said lever, and supported thereupon oneopposed to each side of the cutting edge of the knife, yielding meansfor normally maintaining said lever in neutral position with each ofsaid sharpening elements out of contact with the opposed knife edge, andmanually operable means for moving said lever in either direction fromsaid neutral position, said yielding means being insuflicient to preventready manual movement of said lever in either direction.

5. In combination, a rotary knife, a base on which said knife ismounted, means for rotating said knife, a sharpening lever pivotallysupported upon said base, a plurality of sharpening elements positionedon said lever, one opposed to each side of the cutting edge of theknife, and means for normally maintaining said lever in neutralposition, with each of said sharpening elements out of contact with theopposed knife edge, and a manually operable handle associated withsaidlever whereby said lever may .be moved in either direction from saidneutral position, said means including a coil spring one end of which issecured to said lever and another end to the base.

6. In a slicing machine including a base, a knife mounted on said base,and means for rotating it, a frame portion extending upwardly from saidbase adjacent said knife, and sharpening means for the knife including amanual control lever pivoted adjacent the knife sharpening membersdirectly mounted on said lever and supported thereupon and positioned onopposite sides of the cutting edge of the knife, and yielding meanstending normally to hold said lever in intermediate position, with oneof said sharpening means positioned opposite to each side of the cuttingedge of the knife but out of contact with the knife, and means foradjusting the location of said yielding means.

7. In a slicing machine including a base, a knife mounted on said base,and means for rotating it, sharpening means for the knife, includingside of the knife, and yielding means adapted normally to hold saidstructure in intermediate position, with each sharpening member oppositeto one side of the cutting edge-of the knife but out of contact with theknife.

WILLIAM J. CAMPBELL.

